Gene Marrano
Nancy Agee-Carilion
On a conference call yesterday that also included US Senator Mark Warner, Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea and several others, Carilion Clinic President and CEO Nancy Agee sounded an alarm about the financial state of hospitals – including the one she runs in Roanoke. More from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
The Grandin Theatre has launched a Virtual-On-Demand platform allowing you to see new movies at home. Patrons can click on the Grandin Theatre homepage and scroll down to see this week’s offerings. Executive Director of the Grandin Theatre Foundation Ian Fortier says it won’t be blockbusters like the new James Bond. There’s currently five films available on Grandin Theatre VOD, including two foreign titles. The on-demand movies are 12 dollars a piece and a portion of ticket sales helps support the Grandin Theatre – which is dark these days due to COVID-19.
The news that Carilion Children’s is closing its NICU to all visitors as of yesterday – coupled with a directive from Ronald McDonald House Charities a few weeks ago – means the local Ronald McDonald House is no longer offering shelter to families in town while their child is receiving medical treatment. Anna Semonco is the Roanoke shelter’s executive director – its normally a busy place on a daily basis. Semonco says they are still welcoming donations online; they will be used in part to assemble “care packets” of snacks for the families still at the hospital even if the NICU is now off limits to them due to COVID-19 precautions:
Jim Sears
file photo
It takes more than 2 million dollars a year to operate Center in the Square and support the dozen organizations housed there. Right now there is no revenue coming in – so the President and General Manager is asking for help, as WFIR’s Gene Marrano reports:
(excerpted from Roanoke County release) Roanoke County Police responded late this morning to a call on Blacksburg Rd. involving a male beating a female and forcing her into an SUV. Officers were notified that the male in the SUV was shooting at other vehicle’s tires while driving. On Newport Rd the female was able to get out of the vehicle, which the male drove up on Brush Rd. A multi-jurisdictional chase ensued – even including a state police helicopter and a SWAT team. Finally the male suspect surrendered without further incident around 2:00 p.m. 32-year old Derek Besase has been taken to the Roanoke County Jail. The female victim did not require hospitalization. No word on the charges yet.
As the coronavirus continues to spread, Governor Northam has been stressing the need for more PPE’s. One local medical school has created a task force to help alleviate some of that need. WFIR intern reporter Rachel Meell has the story:
See swva.covidresponse on Instagram, swva-covidresponse on Venmo or e-mail swva.covidresponse@gmail.com to make a monetary donation, or inquire about donating PPE’s.